UX Researcher

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: UX Researcher

Company: Renaissance Learning EMEA APAC

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: User Experience Research / Product Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-22T13:27:47

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive product innovation and user-centricity by conducting comprehensive UX research throughout the product lifecycle.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Product Operations to translate user needs into actionable product insights and recommendations.

• Develop and implement a structured, scalable approach to user insight generation, leveraging both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

• Champion the voice of the user across product teams, fostering a culture of user-centered design and data-driven decision-making.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of research processes, tooling, and repositories within a dynamic Agile environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "UX Researcher," the responsibilities heavily lean into "Product Operations" by focusing on building scalable research programs, managing user access, and contributing to research process improvements. This role bridges traditional UX Research with the operational aspects of ensuring research is efficient and impactful.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Recommend and execute appropriate research methodologies (user interviews, usability testing, surveys, concept validation) to gather insights at all stages of the product lifecycle.

• Lead qualitative and quantitative research initiatives to understand user needs, behaviours, and the viability of new product ideas and features.

• Synthesize complex research findings into clear, compelling, and actionable outputs that directly inform product strategy and prioritization.

• Collaborate with Product Managers to define initiative-level research needs and support discovery, ideation, and validation phases.

• Facilitate and analyze A/B testing and concept testing for product designs and feature variations to optimize user experience.

• Develop and leverage structured user access programs (e.g., UX Research Groups) as a primary channel for recurring user feedback and engagement.

• Partner with Product Operations to manage research logistics, including participant recruitment and session planning.

• Contribute to the ongoing enhancement of research processes, tools, and insight repositories to ensure efficiency and accessibility.

• Deliver findings through compelling narratives that highlight key opportunities and drive informed product decisions.

• Champion the voice of the user, advocating for user needs and ensuring they are central to product development.

• Track and communicate the impact of research insights on product outcomes and business objectives.

• Support the development of a scalable, repeatable user insight capability across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong emphasis on operationalizing research. This includes building recurring programs, working with Product Operations, and contributing to process improvement, suggesting the need for someone who can not only conduct research but also build the infrastructure around it.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• 2-5 years of dedicated experience in User Experience (UX) Research.

• Proven experience working within an Agile development environment, managing multiple projects, teams, or clients concurrently.

• Demonstrated ability to translate complex user insights into clear, actionable product recommendations that drive tangible improvements.

• Experience crafting compelling narratives and presenting data-driven insights to diverse stakeholders. Required Skills:

• Strong command of a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies (e.g., user interviews, usability testing, surveys, card sorting, tree testing, A/B testing, concept validation).

• Proficient in planning, conducting, and synthesizing UX research projects from inception to completion.

• Ability to analyze research findings and translate them into actionable product recommendations and strategic insights.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate research findings and their implications compellingly.

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Design, Engineering, and Marketing.

• Experience in user-centered design principles and practices.

• Familiarity with research repositories and insight management tools. Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the Education Technology (EdTech) or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product space.

• Experience working with international markets and diverse user populations.

• Background working as a classroom teacher, providing direct insight into educational environments.

• Proficiency with specific research tools such as UserTesting.com, Lookback, Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, or similar platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience level is inferred from the "previous experience" and the combination of responsibilities, which suggest a mid-level role capable of leading projects but likely not a senior or lead researcher role. The desirability of EdTech/SaaS experience and teaching background indicates a preference for domain knowledge.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 detailed case studies demonstrating end-to-end UX research projects from discovery through validation.

• Each case study should clearly articulate the research problem, methodology employed, research process, key findings, and the resulting product recommendations.

• Quantify the impact of your research where possible, highlighting how insights influenced product decisions and led to positive outcomes (e.g., improved usability, increased adoption, reduced churn).

• Include examples of how you synthesized qualitative and quantitative data to form comprehensive insights.

• Demonstrate your ability to present research findings effectively to diverse audiences, including product teams and stakeholders. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of developing or contributing to the refinement of research processes, such as participant recruitment strategies, interview protocols, or synthesis frameworks.

• Examples of how you have operationalized research, such as setting up recurring user feedback programs or contributing to research repositories.

• Documentation of how you have collaborated with Product Operations or other teams to manage research logistics and ensure efficient execution.

• Demonstrations of how you have contributed to a user-centered design culture through process improvements or knowledge sharing.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on building a scalable research capability and working within Product Operations, a portfolio showcasing not just research execution but also process development and operational efficiency is crucial for this role.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: £45,000 - £65,000 per annum (dependent on experience)

Benefits:

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays (with 3 days reserved for company-wide Christmas shutdown).

• A dedicated day off for your birthday.

• Access to a Workplace Nursery Scheme.

• 5 paid volunteering days per year to support causes of your choice.

• Comprehensive benefits and discount platform offering savings at various retailers, leisure attractions, and restaurants.

• Robust healthcare package including BUPA Healthcare, Life Assurance, and Permanent Health Insurance.

• Pension scheme with an enhanced employer contribution of up to 8%.

• Season Ticket Loan to assist with commuting costs.

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing confidential support services.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, with flexibility expected to meet project deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on industry standards for a mid-level UX Researcher in London, considering the mentioned benefits and the company's focus on education technology. The provided benefits are directly extracted from the job description. The working hours are a standard assumption for a full-time role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education Technology (EdTech) and Educational Assessments. Renaissance Learning, in conjunction with GL Assessment (GL Education), provides essential tools for schools, focusing on student assessment, practice, intervention, and data analytics. This industry demands a deep understanding of pedagogical needs, educator workflows, and student learning journeys.

Company Size: Renaissance Learning supports over 18 million students worldwide, indicating a large-scale operation with significant market reach. The EMEA APAC division likely operates as a substantial unit within this global organization.

Founded: While the exact founding year for Renaissance Learning EMEA APAC isn't specified, Renaissance was founded in 1986, and GL Assessment has a long history in educational testing. This longevity suggests a stable, established company with deep roots in the education sector.

Team Structure:

• The UX Research function is embedded within product teams, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, and Product Operations.

• This role is part of a cross-functional product development environment where research insights are critical for informing strategic decisions.

• The team structure likely supports a hybrid work model, with expectations for in-office collaboration in London or Houghton Le Spring. Methodology:

• Emphasis on data-driven decision-making, combining qualitative and quantitative research to validate product ideas and features.

• Commitment to user-centered design principles and fostering a culture where user needs are prioritized.

• Utilization of Agile methodologies for iterative product development and research execution.

• Focus on building scalable and repeatable research processes and insight management capabilities.

Company Website: rentec.com (as derived from the domain)

📝 Enhancement Note: The company description highlights a dual focus on assessment (GL Education) and practice/intervention (Renaissance). This dual nature means the UX Researcher might work on products supporting diagnostic testing as well as adaptive learning platforms, requiring an understanding of different user journeys and needs within education.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This UX Researcher role is positioned at a mid-level, typically requiring 2-5 years of experience. It involves leading research initiatives, collaborating with product teams, and contributing to the operationalization of research processes. The role is instrumental in bridging user needs with product development, making it a critical function within the product organization.

Reporting Structure: The UX Researcher will likely report to a Head of UX, a Director of Product, or potentially a lead within Product Operations, depending on the specific organizational structure of the EMEA APAC division. Collaboration will be extensive with Product Managers and Designers within various product pods.

Operations Impact: The UX Researcher's impact is directly tied to improving the effectiveness and usability of Renaissance's educational technology products. By ensuring products meet educator and student needs, this role influences user adoption, satisfaction, learning outcomes, and ultimately, customer retention and revenue growth. Insights generated will directly inform product prioritization and strategic direction, ensuring resources are allocated to solutions that provide the most value.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific research methodologies, learn new tools, and gain experience in managing research operations at scale.

• Domain Expertise: Develop a deeper understanding of the EdTech landscape, pedagogical principles, and the specific challenges faced by educators and students in the EMEA and APAC regions.

• Leadership Potential: Progress to a Senior UX Researcher role, leading larger research projects, mentoring junior researchers, or specializing in areas like generative AI in education or advanced quantitative analysis.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain exposure to various aspects of the product lifecycle and business operations, potentially leading to roles in Product Management, Product Operations, or User Research Management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "building a scalable, structured approach to user insight" and "contributing to continuous improvement of research processes" points to a role that offers growth in research operations and program management, beyond just individual research execution.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid role, with a blend of in-office collaboration and remote work. The London office is described as dog-friendly, suggesting a more relaxed and informal office culture in addition to professional collaboration. The office is planned to relocate to a more central London location later in 2026.

Office Location(s):

• Primary locations: London (current office in Brentford, relocating to a more central London location in 2026) and Houghton Le Spring.

• Travel: Some travel to other offices within the EMEA APAC region may be required for team collaboration. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model and cross-functional nature of the teams encourage collaboration, with opportunities for in-person brainstorming and knowledge sharing when in the office.

• Tools and Technology: Access to standard UX research tools, likely including usability testing platforms, survey software, and potentially insight repositories. The role also involves contributing to the improvement of these tools.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with Product Managers, Designers, Product Operations, and potentially other researchers, fostering a dynamic and communicative team environment.

Work Schedule: The standard work week is approximately 40 hours, aligning with typical full-time employment. Flexibility may be required to accommodate research participant schedules or project deadlines, particularly when working across different time zones or with international users.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of a dog-friendly office and an upcoming move to a more central London location provides specific insights into the company's workplace environment and future plans, which can be attractive to candidates.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening: A brief call with a recruiter to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper dive into your UX research experience, methodologies, and approach to problem-solving. Expect questions about your past projects and how you've handled specific research challenges.

3. Portfolio Review & Presentation: A session where you'll present 1-2 detailed case studies from your portfolio. This is crucial for demonstrating your research process, analytical skills, and ability to translate insights into actionable recommendations. Be prepared to discuss your role, the impact of your work, and how you collaborated with teams.

4. Cross-Functional Team Interview: An interview with peers from Product Management, Design, and potentially Product Operations. This assesses your collaboration style, ability to influence, and how well you integrate into a team environment.

5. Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader or Director to discuss strategic alignment, career aspirations, and overall fit with Renaissance Learning's mission and values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Select impactful case studies: Choose projects that clearly demonstrate your end-to-end research process, highlight significant challenges, and showcase measurable impact.

• Focus on your role: Clearly articulate your specific contributions, especially in collaborative projects.

• Quantify impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to demonstrate how your research influenced product decisions and led to positive outcomes.

• Tell a story: Structure your presentations to narrate the problem, your approach, the insights, and the solution, making it engaging and memorable.

• Prepare for "Why?": Be ready to explain the rationale behind your methodological choices and how you arrived at your insights.

Challenge Preparation:

• Methodology Questions: Anticipate questions about your preferred research methods for different scenarios, how you balance qualitative and quantitative data, and how you handle conflicting user feedback.

• Problem-Solving Scenarios: Be prepared for hypothetical scenarios where you might be asked how you would approach researching a new feature or diagnosing a user problem.

• Collaboration and Influence: Practice articulating how you've influenced product decisions and collaborated effectively with non-researchers.

• Company/Product Knowledge: Research Renaissance Learning, its products (particularly in the EMEA/APAC markets), and its competitors. Understand their mission and how UX research contributes to achieving it.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "building a scalable, structured approach" suggests that interviewers may probe on how you would implement or improve research processes, not just conduct individual studies. Be ready to discuss research operations and program management aspects.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Qualitative Research Tools: User interviews (Zoom, Google Meet), Usability testing platforms (UserTesting.com, Lookback, Maze), Survey tools (Qualtrics, SurveyMonkey, Google Forms).

• Quantitative Research Tools: Survey platforms, A/B testing tools (e.g., Optimizely, Google Optimize), data analysis software (e.g., SPSS, R, Python for statistical analysis if applicable).

• Collaboration & Documentation: Jira, Confluence, Notion, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Miro, Figma (for design collaboration).

• Research Repositories/Insight Management: Familiarity with tools like Dovetail, EnjoyHQ, or similar platforms is a plus, as the role involves contributing to repositories.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with product analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel) to complement qualitative findings and understand user behaviour quantitatively.

• Proficiency in creating clear, concise reports and presentations to communicate research findings to product teams and stakeholders. CRM & Automation:

• While not a primary focus, understanding how UX research integrates with CRM data (e.g., Salesforce) or customer feedback platforms can be beneficial for a holistic view of the user.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role emphasizes building and contributing to research processes and repositories, suggesting that experience with tools that support these functions (like Dovetail or similar insight management platforms) would be highly beneficial.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• User-Centricity: A core value driving all product development decisions, ensuring that the needs and experiences of educators and students are paramount.

• Data-Driven Insights: Reliance on evidence and research to inform strategy and decision-making, moving beyond assumptions.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: A strong emphasis on working effectively across departments (Product, Design, Engineering, Marketing) to achieve shared goals.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to refining processes, tools, and methodologies to enhance efficiency and impact, particularly within research operations.

• Impact and Outcomes: A focus on delivering tangible results that improve educational outcomes for students and support educators.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Highly collaborative, working closely with Product Managers to understand business goals and user needs, and with Designers to iterate on solutions.

• Proactive Communication: Regularly sharing insights, updates, and potential risks with stakeholders to ensure alignment and informed decision-making.

• Feedback Culture: Openness to receiving and providing constructive feedback, fostering a continuous learning environment within product teams.

• Knowledge Sharing: Actively contributing to the team's collective understanding of users through presentations, documentation, and informal discussions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's mention of "DEI Matters Network" and its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion suggests that these values are actively promoted and integrated into the workplace culture. This is a significant cultural indicator for potential candidates.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Research Demands: Managing multiple research requests from different product teams with competing priorities, requiring strong prioritization and time management skills.

• Scaling Research Operations: Building and maintaining a robust, scalable research program in a growing company, ensuring consistency and efficiency across diverse projects.

• Global User Base: Conducting research with users across diverse international markets (EMEA, APAC), which requires cultural sensitivity, linguistic considerations, and logistical coordination.

• Demonstrating ROI: Continuously proving the value of UX research to stakeholders by clearly linking research insights to product improvements and business outcomes.

• Integrating Insights: Ensuring that research insights are effectively integrated into product development workflows and not just delivered as reports.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Research Techniques: Opportunities to specialize in advanced qualitative or quantitative methods, or explore emerging research areas relevant to EdTech.

• Research Program Management: Develop skills in building and managing research operations, including participant recruitment infrastructure, research repositories, and internal tooling.

• EdTech Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge of educational pedagogy, assessment frameworks, and the specific needs of K-12 educators and students.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Opportunities to lead research initiatives that span multiple product areas and influence strategic product roadmaps.

• Mentorship: Potential for mentorship from senior UX leaders or Product Managers, fostering career growth and skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's focus on operationalizing research presents a unique challenge and opportunity: to move beyond individual research tasks and contribute to the strategic development of a research function within the organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to recommend a research methodology for a complex problem. What was your rationale?"

• "How would you approach building a recurring user feedback program for our SaaS products?"

• "Imagine a product team is resistant to user feedback. How would you advocate for user-centered design and influence their decisions?"

• "Walk us through a project where your research findings significantly changed a product's direction. What was the impact?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Renaissance Learning and the EdTech industry?"

• "How do you ensure your research aligns with business objectives and company values such as DEI?"

• "Describe your experience working in an Agile environment and collaborating with Product Managers and Designers."

• "How do you contribute to a positive and inclusive team culture?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Use a clear, consistent structure for each case study: Problem/Opportunity, Your Role, Methodology, Process, Key Findings, Recommendations, Impact/Outcome.

• Visuals Matter: Use mockups, screenshots, quotes, and data visualizations to make your presentation engaging and easier to understand.

• Focus on "So What?": Clearly articulate the implications of your findings and the actionable recommendations you provided.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Demonstrate your thought process and problem-solving skills rather than just listing tasks performed.

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about any aspect of your presented work, from methodological choices to participant selection.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's connection to Product Operations, be prepared to discuss not just what research you did, but how you made it efficient, scalable, and impactful for the broader product organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this UX Researcher position:

• Submit your application through the Greenhouse portal linked.

• Tailor your resume and cover letter: Highlight your UX research experience, specific methodologies used, and any experience in EdTech or SaaS. Quantify your achievements where possible (e.g., "Improved feature adoption by X% based on research insights").

• Prepare your portfolio: Select 2-3 strong case studies that showcase your end-to-end research process, impact, and collaboration skills. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a dedicated website, PDF, or presentation deck).

• Research Renaissance Learning: Understand their mission, products (especially in EMEA/APAC), and current market position. Familiarize yourself with their commitment to DEI.

• Practice your presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio case studies, focusing on clear storytelling, data-driven insights, and actionable recommendations. Be ready to discuss your contributions and the impact of your work.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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